Abstract
Tartrazine is artificial colorant used in food, drug and cosmetic industries in addition to its many benefits through color, but as an artificial dye, it may cause many health problems for humans and animals. Current study was planned to demonstrate suspected effect of tartrazine on small intestines, in addition to obvious the properties of olive oil in reducing biochemical effects and histopathological changes on small intestines. The biochemical results showed (ALT, AST and ALP) significant increase (P <0.001) in tartrazine second group when compare with control group. Third group, the liver enzyme which mention above showed result better than the second tartrazine group but also these parameters were less than control group, (P <0.001). The histopathological results showed the control group showed normal histological appearance of intestinal structures. The second group which treated with tartrazine for 21 days, the intestine showed desquamation of mucosa and submucosa layers, distribution of goblet cells and hemorrhage. The third group which treated with olive oil and tartrazine show relatively normal histological appearance of intestine. This study agreed with many studies about the presence of a harmful effect of tartrazine, in addition to the presence of many benefits of olive oil, according to other studies.